I can’t be certain that I knew any more than this about Valencia: they have good oranges, and The Decemberists sung a song by the same name. But even with this limited knowledge, we packed a full day in the coastal city. First up was the old town centre, with huge halls, cathedrals and markets to be found through the winding streets. Here we enjoyed our first and only Valencian Paella and a fresh juice from the city market, busy with locals and tourists on the Saturday we visited. In the afternoon, we made our way to the City of Arts and Sciences, an eye-catching, futuristic complex that reminded me of scenes from Battlestar Galactica. The area houses Europe’s largest aquarium, so we spent a few hours here enjoying the touristy attractions Valencia had to offer.

Ohhh Valencia. We came, we saw, we ate paella. A little salty, if you ask me, but my informants, err, inform me that the seafood would be to blame for this. We only had two nights in Valencia, and with long driving days either side, it meant just one full day to explore the town. Unlike the other cities, this time we opted to stay just out of town in a gorgeous bed and breakfast called Villa Casablanca, run by the absolutely charming Lyndon and Roy. Best bacon and eggs we have had all trip, and highly recommended if you are ever in Valencia! Just a 20 minute drive into the town from there, we set off for a full day of roaming the streets, taking photos and eating paella and oranges. By afternoon, we had covered the old centre and headed to the new, to check out the City of Arts and Sciences. A few hours at the aquarium (thus the dolphin), a quick IMAX film at Hemespheric, and we were back to the B&B for an early night before the drive to Barcelona.